Michelle Obama on Vogue + Her Chat with Young Girls on How She Chose Obama and Life as the First Lady

Michelle Obama appears on the April cover of Vogue magazine and inside, she and President Barack Obama talked about their life as parents, their marriage, and their vision for America’s families. Michelle Obama said, “I think we are accountable to each other for being who we are,” while the President adds, “We’re a team.”

Can you tell that I love this couple? LOL... Their article reminded me of back in 2011 when First lady Michelle Obama spoke with female secondary school students, young girls interested in Science but who were not meeting their potential. These girls, between 13 and 15, were participating in an immersion experience at the University of Oxford. The first lady was kind enough to graciously answer all their questions on a variety of topics.

She confessed that she had not envisaged that Barack Obama would become president when they first met, but that she had seen other special qualities in him. She answered questions on self-esteem, mentoring other young women, and living in the White House as a mother with two young daughters. She even talked about how important reading and writing were. Below are some excerpts from the interview transcript.

Why Did Goodluck Jonathan Pardon Alamieyeisegha?

Presidential pardons are used all over the world and I totally agree with the morale behind it. If someone is wrongfully convicted, or if they are truly repentant and have done restitution in other ways for their sins, then it is only fair to pardon.

One thing about pardons in the Nigerian political space that makes me uncomfortable though, is that they have the effect of treating a conviction as though it never happened. Pardoned criminals can no longer be referred to as ex-convicts and can run for presidential office.

Some very political Presidential pardons in Nigeria include those President Shehu Shagari granted to General Yakubu Gowon for participating in the coup that killed General Murtala Mohammed and to Col. Chukuwemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu for driving the Nigerian Civil War. Gowon piped down in his politics but Ojukwu ran for president in 2003.

General Abdulsalami Abubakar in his short tenure also granted a pardon to Obasanjo for his convictions for treason and that paved the way for him to contest and become president in 1999.

Menu Ideas - Boiled Potatoes and Chili Beans

One of my favorite foods is yam but it is so hard to get them here, either they're not available at all, or they are too expensive. I do get them once in a while, but for the rest of the time, I make do with potatoes, either sweet potatoes or the local ones we have here.

On this occasion, I had some chili beans left over but it wouldn't do for a meal for both of us, so I quickly boiled up some potatoes, and then mixed them together. Reminded me of our Yam and Beans back in boarding school. Loved it.

What The Bible Really Says about Oral Sex

Yesterday, it went viral that a Pastor of CLAM church, Wole Oladiyun warned that Oral Sex was not for Christians. Maybe he read my earlier blog post about Nigerian men and oral sex, or maybe his wife did, and asked him for some, hehehe. The man sparked o. In his words, "... men and women sucking their private parts are equally damaging their glories. Demonic partners have done a lot of havoc through this act. Honestly, it is simply unhygienic and dirty."

Now, I don't understand the first part of his comment about oral sex damaging people's glories, or demonic partners, maybe that is what he teaches in his church as doctrine and dogma. If so, I can't really address it, I am not a pastor obviously, nor his church member. But the second part exposes that his bias and personal opinion is what is majorly driving his condemnation of oral sex.

The New Pope Francis - Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio

The new pope has been selected after two days of the Cardinals deliberating on their election of the successor to Pope Benedict. A black man, a cardinal from Ghana, was in the running to be pope, but he did not make it. The new pope, Jose Mario Bergoglio, is a Jesuit and he is from Argentina, in South America. "The new pope, 76, who will be called Francis ... is also the first non-European leader of the church in more than 1,000 years." NYT

This will be my second time of seeing a pope elected and it remains a historic event for me. Roman Catholics have not had it easy in the past few decades but the denomination remains a pillar in Christendom. While the new Pope, Francis, is non-European like some people wanted, I wonder about his age and how strong he is to carry on the papal work.

I hope this new pope will continue to build on the modernization of the policies of the church to include those who are marginalized including on issues that affect women. Also, he has to be firm in tackling pedophilia in the church in a way thay benefits and affirms the dignity of victims while making the abusive perpetrators face justice.

Dear Aunty Flo - Tales from that time of the Month

I was catching up on Kiky's blog recently when it all came coming back to me, the embarrassment  the distress, the back-to-front skirts, strategically placed long notes, and sweaters draped around the waist. It was a post on leak proof Dear Kate panties, which are supposed to protect women during that time of the month from over flows and spills caused by Aunty Flo.

Who even labeled it Aunty Flo? BTW, if you're a guy and still wondering what this is about, you may want to stop reading now. If you're a 'lady', you may also want to read something else, like my wedding page :)

When I was growing up, I first knew it by the biological name, menstruation. It started around the first or second year of secondary school. Mine showed face in my third term JS3 and then stayed away for the longest. In JS2, it came back with a bang. I was in class, when I stood up to go get something, someone called my attention to the patch on my skirt. I'd kind of felt the wetness, but it was a hot day, and I thought it was sweat. That was just the beginning of my woes.

I Got the Very Inspiring Blogger Award

I was nominated by Nana Prah, author and blogger at Loving Romance, Loving Life. Nana is also a member of the Romance Writers of West Africa and the author Love through time, a romance novel to be released later this year by Black Opal Books. I really enjoy Nana's writing and it's always great to be recognized. Thank you, Nana.

So the rule of the award is to state 7 things about me.

1. Since moving to the United States, I have visited 12 states, about 6 of them during our road trip in 2011. America is a very big country, and it has been a great experience seeing what I have of it.

2. I love taking photographs, and writing, but I think you can guess that from this blog.

3. I started wearing my hair unrelaxed a couple of years ago. Though I call it natural most times, I feel funny doing that when I use shampoo and hair creams I know not what goes into them.

The Breakup Song by Evaezi

This video is for those who have recently broken up with their partners, who are single or just not feeling all the love right now. Evaezi gives a stella performance of her single, The Breakup Song

Linda Ikeji - Motivational Woman's Story #12

Linda Ikeji is a graduate of English from the University of Lagos. After graduating in 2004, she started Blackdove Communications, a models and event management company. She had been modeling since 1998 but quit soon after starting her company, preferring to stay behind the camera by running the agency. So what happened since she stopped modelling and how did she become the blogger we all know and love, or love to hate? She said this in a BN Interview;

When I was much younger, I wanted to be a journalist. That was my dream. When I was about 10 years old, I was already writing. I wrote a few fiction stories in my notebooks and I gave a few people and they read and they thought I was a good writer...

So when I finished school, and I had become a model and people knew me as a model, it was very difficult for me to go back to back to being a journalist so I just moved on from there. But then I discovered blogging in 2006. Incidentally, it was through www.bellanaija.blogspot.com...

From then, I started reading her blog and one day I said to myself, I can actually live my dream, put stories together, tell people what is going on, so I created the blog that year. I created the blog in 2006 but I really started blogging early 2007.

Stewed Goat Meat and Asparagus topped with Cheese

I've never bought asparagus before this venture, it's one of those vegetables that I only eat when we eat out, or at a friend's but never thought to prepare myself. Somehow, I think about it in connection with those who are starving themselves in the name of losing weight, or just something out of my network.

Well, last week, our grocery store had huge signs all over them, it was an asparagus sale! LOL... So I got one bunch and looked up ways to cook it online.

Actually, asparagus is a very healthy vegetable, and good for those of us trying to keep the love handles at bay. It is low calorie, and a good source of folate and potassium for women, and very high in antioxidants. Well, it was one of my no-carb dinner nights and so I brough out my goat meat and a tomato stew I had made earlier and set to work.